Apparatus for smoking food

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for smoking food includes a closed smoking chamber for receiving the food to be smoked, a mixing chamber for receiving air from the smoking chamber with a fan for drawing the air from the smoking chamber and returning it to the mixing chamber and creating a swirling air action at a higher pressure within the mixing chamber. Liquid smoke is sprayed into the swirling air in the mixing chamber to effect a mixing of the air therein with the liquid smoke and the mixture is returned to the smoking chamber for expansion therein under a lower pressure.

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/758,975 filed on Dec. 2,1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,985 which is a continuation of Ser. No.08/420,961 filed Apr. 18, 1995, now abandoned, entitled Method andApparatus for the Treatment of Material to be Smoke-Cured, which was theNational Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP93/02840, filedOct. 14, 1993.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention concerns a method for the treatment of material to besmoke-cured, particularly meat and sausages, with a mixture of air and awatersoluble liquid having a smell and the taste of smoke also calledliquid smoke, which is sprayed into the air of a smoking chamber.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Up to now in such a method smoking devices have been used which atomizethe liquid smoke by means of pressurised air. The spray mist developedthereby is introduced e.g. 15 cm above the bottom through the back wallof the smoking chamber opposite to the access door. In the upper regionof the smoking chamber a fan is arranged in such an embodiment whichprovides for circulation of the volume formed by air and liquid smokewithin the smoking chamber. Because together with the liquid smokesprayed in also pressurized air is introduced into the smoking chamber,at least one exhaust air flap is necessary to let off the surplusvolume.

In addition to the fact that with the known method necessarily a loss ofvolume of liquid smoke and air must occur, also the results ofsmoke-curing achieved are not satisfactory. Hence, with the known methodand apparatus not only a loss of particularly liquid smoke is to beregarded as disadvantageous because the known smoking chamber can beoperated with an open exhaust air flap only, but also uniformity ofdistribution of the liquid smoke within the smoking chamber is notsatisfactory because a part thereof prematurely deposits on wall andbottom of the smoking chamber instead of arriving at the material to besmoked or smoke-cured, respectively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Consequently the task underlying the invention is seen in the provisionof a method and an apparatus of the kind mentioned above which is moreeconomical and grants a better quality of the smoke-cured material. Atthe same time particularly the consumption of liquid smoke shall bedecreased and a more uniform smoke-cure shall be achieved.

Having regard to the method this task is solved in that pure liquidsmoke is sprayed directly into air which is sucked out of the smokingchamber into a separate mixing region, swirled in this mixing regionthereby increasing the pressure, and subsequently relaxed or relieved,respectively, again into the smoking chamber.

Because no pressurized air is used for spraying the liquid smoke in, noincrease of volume will occur so that the exhaust air flap can be closedduring operation. Losses of liquid smoke by an exit from the smokingchamber, as with the prior art, are thereby avoided. Because immediatelyafter spraying into the sucked-in air swirling thereof occurs, aparticularly intensive formation of a mixture is provided. Swirling withincreases of pressure and subsequent relaxation leads to a distributionof the liquid smoke within the air in the form of partly finest droplets(1 to 25 m) and partly vapour. Accordingly there occurs the formation ofa droplet phase as well as of a gas phase so that the same physicalconditions are present as with the traditional glow smoke. The finelyatomized, dry and stable smoke achieved according to the invention canbe deposited on the material to be smoked or smoke cured, respectively,in the smoking chamber under the same conditions as with the traditionalglow smoke-cure. It is to be understood that not only, as mentioned, aremoval of exhaust air is not necessary but also the admission of freshair can be omitted.

The amount of liquid smoke to be sprayed in depends on the respectivematerial to be smoke-cured and its degree of smoke cure desired and issprayed in with a pressure of preferredly 3 bar in intervals and theduration of the spraying can be automatically controlled.

The method according to the invention leads not only to a saving ofliquid smoke but also to a particularly good and uniform admission ofliquid smoke to the material to be smoke-cured whereby a quality ofsmoke-cure can be achieved which was not possible with the use of liquidsmoke up to now.

Having regard to the apparatus the task underlying the invention issolved using a smoking chamber, a spraying device, a supply conduit forthe liquid smoke and a fan and the following features in accordance withthe invention, namely in that the spraying device is a spray nozzle forpure liquid smoke, said nozzle being situated immediately at the end ofthe supply conduit for direct spraying liquid smoke into the fan andbeing arranged coaxially at the suction side of the latter, at least oneblowing nozzle for the swirled mixture of air and liquid smoke beingarranged at the pressure side of the fan and opening into the smokingchamber, and in that the mixing region is located between spray nozzleand blowing nozzle.

The so-to-say injection of pure liquid smoke into the fan, swirling ofthe generated mixture of liquid smoke and smoking chamber air, theinherent pressure increase on the pressure side of the fan, and thesubsequent relaxation via the nozzle or nozzles, provide for the finedistribution of liquid smoke in the air by the mentioned two-phaseformation, as elucidated above, and hence for conditions which aresimilar to the conventional glow smoke-cure.

Advantageously the fan is located in a separate mixing chamber whichforms a broadened mixing region, with its suction side facing the inletopening of the mixing chamber to which the spray nozzle is appertaining.The fan with its pressure side delivers into the interior of the mixingchamber and impinges at least one blowing nozzle forming an outletopening situated in the wall of the mixing chamber. Appropriately themixing chamber is a hollow hood which is located centrally in the upperregion of the smoking chamber and which in its cross-section formsessentially an inverse U with a hollow transversal web and two hollowvertical webs. Said hollow hood in the center of the transversal web ofthe U comprises the fan being a radial fan. At the ends of the twovertical webs the hollow hood has at least one blowing nozzle eachhaving a downward blowing direction. A clear height of the hollowtransversal web of the U which is only slightly larger than thethickness of the radial fan has proved to be practical.

For delivery of the liquid smoke it is proper to arrange a containerpump for the liquid smoke at the beginning of a supply conduit towardsthe spray nozzle, for setting the liquid smoke under pressure. In apreferred embodiment the spray nozzle is an axial full cone nozzle withan opening angle of 120°. At the same time the radial fan comprises anintake port with a free diameter of 215 mm. In the conduit a two-waymagneto-flow-valve is arranged, the time interval control thereofprovided by a microprocessor being respectively programmable.

Additional advantages and embodiments of the invention are subject tothe subclaims. The invention is explained in more detail showing anembodiment of an apparatus for carrying out the method according to theinvention by means of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a schematical front view of an apparatus for carrying out themethod according to the invention;

FIG. 2 a cutout with mixing chamber, fan, spray nozzle and conduit, onan enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 a view of the mixing chamber from the bottom;

FIG. 4 another embodiment of the mixing chamber in a view correspondingessentially to FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 a bottom view corresponding to FIG. 3 of the embodiment accordingto FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a smoking chamber 1 with a spraying device 2, a conduit 3for liquid smoke which is supplied by a container pump 4, and a fan 5comprising a fan rotor 6, a motor 7 and a shaft (not shown) connectingmotor and fan rotor with each other.

The spraying device 2 consists of a spray nozzle 8 for pure liquid smokewhich is situated immediately at the end of conduit 3. Said nozzle 8 isarranged coaxially at the suction side of fan 5 for direct spraying intothe fan. On the pressure side of fan 5 a blowing nozzle 10 for theswirled mixture of air and liquid smoke is located, said nozzle 10opening into the interior 9 of smoking chamber 1. The flow from the fan5 as well as the exit from blowing nozzle 10 are hinted by arrows A andB. Fan 5 with its suction side in a separate mixing chamber 11 faces aninlet opening 12 (FIG. 2) of the mixing chamber to which the spraynozzle 8 is appertaining in a small distance. Fan 5 with its pressureside supplies into the interior of mixing chamber 11. In the case shownseveral blowing nozzles 10 forming outlet openings in the wall 12 ofmixing chamber 11 are impinged by fan 5. As to be seen from FIG. 1, inthe illustrated embodiment mixing chamber 11 is a hollow hood which islocated centrally in the upper region of interior 9 of smoking chamber 1and in its cross-section is shaped essentially as an inverse Ucomprising a hollow transversal web 13 and two hollow vertical webs 14.In the center of transversal web 13 the hollow hood comprises fan 5developed as a radial fan. At each of the ends of the two hollowvertical webs 14 five blowing nozzles 10 are arranged in a row withblowing direction downwardly (arrows B).

Evidently the hollow transversal web possesses a clearance h which isnot considerably larger than the thickness D of radial fan 5.

For enhancing the flowing conditions in the region of the deflection ofthe air streams after exit from fan 5 and before entry into blowingnozzle 10 inner corners between the two hollow vertical webs 14 and thehollow transversal web 13 can be chamfered each as shown (FIGS. 1 to 3),however, a normal rectangular structure as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 wouldbe also sufficient. At the lower end of each of the hollow vertical webs14 five blowing nozzles 10 are arranged in a row. As to be seen from thebottom view according to FIG. 3, the U of the mixing chamber 11 showsessentially the shape of a rectangular or of a box, and betweentransversal and vertical webs 10, 14 on one side and the side walls 15(only one thereof is to be seen from FIG. 2) a type of funnel is formedinto which air aspirated in the direction of arrow C from the interior 9of smoking chamber 1 can flow in towards the inlet opening 12. Fan 5comprises an intake port 16 which is connected to the inlet opening 12of mixing chamber 11 (FIG. 2). In the embodiment shown the inlet opening12 is reversely drawn into the interior 17 of mixing chamber 11 and soenters the intake port 16 of fan 5. It is to be understood that theclearance area between these two parts should be as small as possible.

The container pump 4 understandably is located at the beginning ofconduit 3 for the liquid smoke leading towards spray nozzle 8 forsetting the liquid smoke within conduit 3 under pressure. In conduit 3 amagneto-flow-valve 18 is arranged which usefully is a two-way valve. Forthe control thereof a microprocessor control 19 is provided. Asmentioned initially, opening of the valve occurs in time intervals thenumbers and duration of which depending on the material in smokingchamber 1 to be smoke-cured on the one side and on the desired degree ofsmoke-cure on the other side which will be programmed in each case.

In a built embodiment as a spray nozzle 8 an axial full cone nozzle withan opening angle of 120° has been proved useful, and the intake port 16of radial fan 5 had a diameter of 215 mm.

In the embodiment describe din FIGS. 1 to 3 the blowing nozzles 10 pointvertically downwardly. However, the arrangement in accordance with thesecond embodiment of the mixing chamber 21 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 ispreferred, the arrangement within the smoking chamber 1 being the sameas described above. For the same parts same reference numerals are alsoused.

As to be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, in this case the blowing directions(arrows D) of blowing nozzles 20 are downwardly diverging towards thewalls of smoking chamber 1 at both sides. Thereby it has proved to beadvantageous if the blowing directions D show an angle of approximately7° from the vertical to the outer sides. So the mixture leaving nozzles20 is guided along the walls on the outer side of the material to besmoke-cured to the bottom of smoking chamber 1 where a deflection to theinterior and a guidance up in the direction of the suction of fan 5follows, across the material to be smoke-cured. According to experiencethe described inclination of blowing nozzles 20 in certain cases yieldsa more uniform impingement on the material to be smoke-cured (which isnot shown throughout).

I claim:
 1. Apparatus for smoking food comprising, in combination:aclosed smoking chamber for receiving food to be smoked; a spray nozzle;conduit means for supplying liquid smoke to the nozzle; a mixing chamberhaving inlet and outlet openings communicating with the smoking chamber;a fan for sucking air into the mixing chamber through said inlet fromthe smoking chamber and recirculating the air back into the smokingchamber through said outlet creating a swirling air action within themixing chamber between said inlet and outlet openings; and said nozzlebeing arranged to spray liquid smoke into the swirling air action in themixing chamber.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe fan (5) is located within the mixing chamber with the suction sideof the fan facing said inlet opening.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1,characterized in that the mixing chamber comprises a hollow hood whichis arranged centrally in the upper region of the smoking chamber and isessentially inversely U-shaped in cross-section with a hollowtransversal web (13) and two hollow vertical webs (14), with the fan (5)comprising a radial fan located at the center of the transversal web,and at least one of said vertical webs comprising a blowing nozzle (10)having a blowing direction aimed downwardly.
 4. Apparatus according toclaim 3, characterized in that the hollow transversal web (13) of the Upossesses a clearance (h) which is only slightly larger than thethickness (d) of the radial fan (5).
 5. Apparatus according to claims 3or 4, characterized in that the two hollow vertical webs (14) at theirinner junctions with the hollow transversal web (13) are chamfered each.6. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that at the lowerend of each of the hollow vertical webs a plurality of blowing nozzles(10) are arranged in a row.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6,characterized in that the blowing directions of the blowing nozzles (20)are downwardly diverging towards the walls of the smoking chamber. 8.Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the blowingdirections show an angle of approximately 7° to the adjacent walls ofthe smoking chamber.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized inthat a pump is arranged for pressurizing liquid smoke within the conduitmeans.
 10. Apparatus according to 1, characterized in that in saidconduit means a magneto-flow-valve (18) is arranged.
 11. Apparatusaccording to claim 10, characterized in that for controlling the valve(18) a microprocessor control (19) is provided.
 12. Apparatus accordingto claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the valve (18) is a two-wayvalve.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that thespray nozzle (18) is an axial full cone nozzle with an opening angle ofapproximately 120°, and that the intake port (16) of the radial fan (5)has a diameter of 215 mm.